Pneumatisation of turbinates and paranasal sinuses in children: case report.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a rare case of multiple anatomical variations in the sinonasal skeleton of an adolescent with chronic rhinosinusitis, together with its successful surgical management.

CASE REPORT

A 15-year-old male adolescent was referred with a 3-year history of nasal blockage and hyposmia. His symptoms did not improve on maximal medical therapy. A pre-operative computed tomography scan revealed numerous anatomical variations in his nose and paranasal sinuses. He underwent neuronavigation-assisted endoscopic sinus surgery without complication, and with subsequent resolution of his symptoms at 10 months.

CONCLUSION

Chronic rhinosinusitis in children offers its own set of unique surgical challenges. The effectiveness and safety of sinus surgery in this population can be improved through the knowledge of anatomical variants, and is aided by the use of image guidance systems.